Craigslist and Babysitters

Do you think finding a baby sitter on Craigslist is a stupid idea? How do you feel about the 11 and 13 years olds who post looking for baby sitting jobs? Would you ever let someone that young watch your child? Would you ever let your child baby sit at that age? I was just wondering since I am in the process of looking for one. I would like to know some of your opinions. Sorry if this has already been posted.

Do you think finding a baby sitter on Craigslist is a stupid idea? How do you feel about the 11 and 13 years olds who post looking for baby sitting jobs? Would you ever let someone that young watch your child? Would you ever let your child baby sit at that age? I was just wondering since I am in the process of looking for one. I would like to know some of your opinions. Sorry if this has already been posted.

Id never hire a babysitter off craigslist. You have no clue who they are or their background. I would only use someone through a referral from somewhere else.you can also check out care.com when I nannied I was on it and it showed that I had background checks and training.

Id never hire a babysitter off craigslist. You have no clue who they are or their background. I would only use someone through a referral from somewhere else.you can also check out care.com when I nannied I was on it and it showed that I had background checks and training.

I hired a nanny that I found on Craigslist. She is 31 and has a child of her own. She was amazing with my son. I would not hire a teenager to babysit my child, but I would leave a younger sibling with an older child if I felt they were responsible enough. I babysat my younger brother and two cousins after school every day from the time I was 11 until I got my driver's license. It was only a couple of hours and I was very mature for my age. My Mom always said I acted like my brother's second mother. That's why he's so spoiled to this day!

I hired a nanny that I found on Craigslist. She is 31 and has a child of her own. She was amazing with my son. I would not hire a teenager to babysit my child, but I would leave a younger sibling with an older child if I felt they were responsible enough. I babysat my younger brother and two cousins after school every day from the time I was 11 until I got my driver's license. It was only a couple of hours and I was very mature for my age. My Mom always said I acted like my brother's second mother. That's why he's so spoiled to this day!

I wouldn't get a babysitter off of craigslist. I have seen daycares advertise on Craigslist, but you can call your local licensing agency and double check that they are who they say they are. I also think 13 is a little young if they don't live right next door (their parents available if needed). What I would do is call a local daycare center and ask if any of their employees babysit on the side. That was you get someone with a background check and references.

I wouldn't get a babysitter off of craigslist. I have seen daycares advertise on Craigslist, but you can call your local licensing agency and double check that they are who they say they are. I also think 13 is a little young if they don't live right next door (their parents available if needed). What I would do is call a local daycare center and ask if any of their employees babysit on the side. That was you get someone with a background check and references.

You can do a background check on someone from Craigslist. You would just need to obtain their information and pay to have it done. Not all crazies have criminal backgrounds, though (note the recent Colorado tragedy). I think you'd find just as many unstable people on care.com as you would on Craigslist.

You can do a background check on someone from Craigslist. You would just need to obtain their information and pay to have it done. Not all crazies have criminal backgrounds, though (note the recent Colorado tragedy). I think you'd find just as many unstable people on care.com as you would on Craigslist.

Heck no! Craigslist is full of scam artists. Care.com is a better choice but I know someone who got scammed from their website also. Put the word out to family a friends that you need a sitter and see what they come up with.

Heck no! Craigslist is full of scam artists. Care.com is a better choice but I know someone who got scammed from their website also. Put the word out to family a friends that you need a sitter and see what they come up with.

If you do your research on the person where does it matter where you found the person? I think care.com makes more sense because it's where most nannies would have profiles. But...if I found someone in Craigslist I'd still do my own background check, ask for references and interview the person.

If you do your research on the person where does it matter where you found the person? I think care.com makes more sense because it's where most nannies would have profiles. But...if I found someone in Craigslist I'd still do my own background check, ask for references and interview the person.

For the occasional babysitting evening sure. Not everyone has the luxury of knowing someone that knows someone and even if they do just because mrs h says she's great doesn't mean anything. Anyone can be crazy coming from any agency. I babysat from 13 on many kids and was responsible, but it's all the person. We had a 13 year old watch our two girls who happened to be very thorough a little to thorough as she would call and check about everything which is good but also put me on edge the whole date. She would call and ask if the kids could do this or that or the kids would tell her it was ok but she was making sure they were not pulling a fast one. We have also had 16,17 year olds who created big messes, didn't ask us anything and expect top dollar. I think Craigslist is no different than any other agency. You still have to check references, criminal check and judge character. However I wouldn't go with full time child care through anything but a licensed regulated facility ( even though things can still happen)

For the occasional babysitting evening sure. Not everyone has the luxury of knowing someone that knows someone and even if they do just because mrs h says she's great doesn't mean anything. Anyone can be crazy coming from any agency. I babysat from 13 on many kids and was responsible, but it's all the person. We had a 13 year old watch our two girls who happened to be very thorough a little to thorough as she would call and check about everything which is good but also put me on edge the whole date. She would call and ask if the kids could do this or that or the kids would tell her it was ok but she was making sure they were not pulling a fast one. We have also had 16,17 year olds who created big messes, didn't ask us anything and expect top dollar. I think Craigslist is no different than any other agency. You still have to check references, criminal check and judge character. However I wouldn't go with full time child care through anything but a licensed regulated facility ( even though things can still happen)

I would never hire a sitter via Craigslist. Allowing my kid to babysit will depend on maturity more than age. I was babysitting toddler siblings around 12 for a couple of hours with no problems. My 12 year old step daughter isn't even close to being mature enough to babysit. She can barely handle playing with my 1 year old long enough to let me get a shower or pick up the house.

I would never hire a sitter via Craigslist. Allowing my kid to babysit will depend on maturity more than age. I was babysitting toddler siblings around 12 for a couple of hours with no problems. My 12 year old step daughter isn't even close to being mature enough to babysit. She can barely handle playing with my 1 year old long enough to let me get a shower or pick up the house.

I am really protective of my children, and I only let certain family members and two of my close friends watch them. They are still pretty young. Once they get older I will be okay with a teen babysitting. I wouldn't find a babysitter on Care.com or Craigslist, simply because I wouldn't trust a stranger to be alone with my kids. I am a SAHM, but if I had to find full time child care, I would choose a licensed day care over a nanny who I didn't know well. There are just too many things that can go wrong when there is no one there to witness what's going on all day. At least with day cares, there are many adults around.

I am really protective of my children, and I only let certain family members and two of my close friends watch them. They are still pretty young. Once they get older I will be okay with a teen babysitting. I wouldn't find a babysitter on Care.com or Craigslist, simply because I wouldn't trust a stranger to be alone with my kids. I am a SAHM, but if I had to find full time child care, I would choose a licensed day care over a nanny who I didn't know well. There are just too many things that can go wrong when there is no one there to witness what's going on all day. At least with day cares, there are many adults around.

I don't think it's the most smartest thing one can do and I think you (general) should take more precautions using a website like that to find a caretaker for your children. I wouldn't look to craigslist for a sitter, I like Care.com coupled with word of mouth.

As far as that young watching my children, it's illegal here but even if it wasn't I wouldn't allow it.

I don't think it's the most smartest thing one can do and I think you (general) should take more precautions using a website like that to find a caretaker for your children. I wouldn't look to craigslist for a sitter, I like Care.com coupled with word of mouth.

As far as that young watching my children, it's illegal here but even if it wasn't I wouldn't allow it.

If I were to look for a babysitter or nanny, I would ask other parents for recommendations. I would only ask parents who share my parenting philosophies. I would then do an in depth interview. I would have written guidelines for the person to follow so my expectations would be made clear up front. I would then pay them to babysit for the first time while I am home.

If I were to look for a babysitter or nanny, I would ask other parents for recommendations. I would only ask parents who share my parenting philosophies. I would then do an in depth interview. I would have written guidelines for the person to follow so my expectations would be made clear up front. I would then pay them to babysit for the first time while I am home.

I posted an ad on craigslist when I had my last lo. I posted exactly what i expected. It was VERY specific and I found someone from there. I did know of who she was so that helped a bit. I knew alot of people who did know her.

When I look on there for sitters if they have just I will sit for 50 a week call me then I avoided those. I would like to have a more in depth contact response. You just have to weed them out.

I would not have anyone under 18 watch my kids. Neither would I let my child under 18 watch a kid.

Crazy people can post on Care.com also, not just craigslist.

I posted an ad on craigslist when I had my last lo. I posted exactly what i expected. It was VERY specific and I found someone from there. I did know of who she was so that helped a bit. I knew alot of people who did know her.

When I look on there for sitters if they have just I will sit for 50 a week call me then I avoided those. I would like to have a more in depth contact response. You just have to weed them out.

I would not have anyone under 18 watch my kids. Neither would I let my child under 18 watch a kid.

I'm thinking that if I was the mother of a 13 year old there is no way I would allow them to post their babysitting services on Craigslist. It's a two way street- what if it's a creep that tries to hire him/her?

I'm thinking that if I was the mother of a 13 year old there is no way I would allow them to post their babysitting services on Craigslist. It's a two way street- what if it's a creep that tries to hire him/her?

I found my son's full-time caregiver on craigslist. It turned out she was a mom of a student at the school where I teach. It was wonderful. Also, I started babysitting at age 12. I took a class through my church & got phone calls from other members to babysit. However, I would never hire anyone under 16 to watch my son. I only hire my friends' teenage children as sitters.

I found my son's full-time caregiver on craigslist. It turned out she was a mom of a student at the school where I teach. It was wonderful. Also, I started babysitting at age 12. I took a class through my church & got phone calls from other members to babysit. However, I would never hire anyone under 16 to watch my son. I only hire my friends' teenage children as sitters.

Haha! No to Craigslist! I might let a 13yo babysit if they are mature and my child is 3+. I babysat starting at 12 for a couple hours at a time, but the little boy was 5 and I was next door to my parents and pretty mature relative to many of my peers.

Haha! No to Craigslist! I might let a 13yo babysit if they are mature and my child is 3+. I babysat starting at 12 for a couple hours at a time, but the little boy was 5 and I was next door to my parents and pretty mature relative to many of my peers.

I would not hire a stranger off craigslist to watch my child. Like others have said, you don't know the person, their background, anything about them. They might come and rob your house and kidnap your child while you are out. I might let a 13 yr old babysit, but I'd have to know them and know they are trustworthy and mature enough to handle that. And I think the first few times that person watched my child, it would be for short periods of time - like running to the store real quick.

I would not hire a stranger off craigslist to watch my child. Like others have said, you don't know the person, their background, anything about them. They might come and rob your house and kidnap your child while you are out. I might let a 13 yr old babysit, but I'd have to know them and know they are trustworthy and mature enough to handle that. And I think the first few times that person watched my child, it would be for short periods of time - like running to the store real quick.

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